Why is it that most recruiters focus their attention on the need of their clients and give little time to the desires of the candidate? I know that most are taught how to take a detailed job order to enable them to match a candidate’s skills to a vacancy and the better recruiters are competent in understanding the potential career opportunity available. Then many recruiters lose the plot… they go out of their way to sell the job vacancy to potential candidates with little interest in what the individual is seeking.

Recruiters need to get inside the heads of candidates and match client opportunities to candidate aspirations and stop telling them that they should be interested in what you are ‘selling’. We should stop taking the attitude that we are doing people a favour merely by introducing a
potential interview opportunity that could enhance their career. It surprises me after 20 years in the industry that the candidate’s experience still needs to be improved.

Recruiters should be asking people about their experiences at work, the style of management they prefer or deliver, what they feel are their best achievements, size and style of company they aspire to work in next. I could go on but I hope I’ve made my point. Stop paying lip service to your candidate and start building a deeper understanding. They will become exclusive to you, will work more closely with you and you will
make more placements.

Gavin Chase General manager,
CNA Executive Search


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